NFL Rumors: Ravens in talks to make next big free agency splash

Unlike last year, the running back market in the NFL has moved at lightning speed. All of the top players available at the position have agreed to terms on new contracts, some of whom earned over $10 million per season. Saquon Barkley is heading to the Philadelphia Eagles on a three-year, $37.75 million contract. Josh Jacobs agreed to terms with the Green Bay Packers on a four-year, $48 million deal.

For the Baltimore Ravens, they are in need of a starting running back. They allowed Gus Edwards to hit in free agency and watched him sign a two-year, $6.5 million contract with the Los Angeles Chargers. So Edwards goes from playing for John Harbaugh to now being the new running back for Jim Harbaugh. Now, where are the Ravens to turn?

According to Brad Stainbrook of the Orange and Brown Report, the Ravens have been in contact with free agent and former Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry. Stainbrook reports the Ravens have made an offer "in the range of $6.5 million per year" to Henry.

Ravens in contact with former Titans RB Derrick Henry

Landing Henry could be huge for a Ravens team that was one win short of competing in Super Bowl 58 this past season. The Ravens have had their eyes on Henry. In fact, they tried to acquire him from the Titans at this past season's trade deadline. No deal was ever agreed upon.

The expectation after the season was that the Titans were not going to bring back Henry, who was entering unrestricted free agency. Once the free agency negotiation window opened up, the Titans signed his replacement in former Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard. To help their new running back, they signed former Denver Broncos center Lloyd Cushenberry to a four-year, $50 million contract.

Henry has long been known as a bruiser of a running back, with a propensity to dish out some vicious stiff arms to defenders who stand in his way. The thing is, Henry's production has dropped off. Once a 5.0-yards-per-carry running back in 2019 and 2020, Henry averaged just 4.2 yards per carry this past season. Even so, Henry is still a 1,000-yard rusher and a double-digit touchdown-scorer.

In 17 games this past season, Henry ran for 1,167 yards and 12 touchdowns on 280 carries.

If Henry were to join the Ravens, he would enter a far more favorable situation. Not only would he have Lamar Jackson as his running back, but also run behind one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. Now we wait and see if both sides can agree on a contract.